Bartram Trail repeats: Bears edge St. Thomas Aquinas, repeat FHSAA girls lacrosse title

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With a clock ticking toward zero, Bartram Trail girls lacrosse coach Meghan Jackowiak knew that if the moment came, Maddie Stevens would be ready.

"She had that look in her eyes," Jackowiak said. "She wasn't going to lose that game."

Capped by a stunning goaltending finish from All-American goaltender Stevens, the Bears showed they could transform from goal-scoring machine into a brick wall when it mattered most Saturday, outlasting St. Thomas Aquinas 5-4 to repeat as Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A girls lacrosse champions.

Crown Bartram Trail once more as the queens of Florida lacrosse.

The Bears' motto from day one, "refuse to go away," turned into reality as the Bears became Northeast Florida's first team to repeat as FHSAA lacrosse champion behind Stevens' sterling performance in goal.

"Maddie was the backbone tonight... she just played lights out," Jackowiak said.

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STEVENS SHINES IN NET

The Bears' five goals scored tied for their lowest count against Florida opposition for exactly one year: May 6, 2022, when they beat Lutz Steinbrenner by the same 5-4 score at the same stadium.

But the quiet day on offense didn't matter: Stevens came up huge in the final 10 seconds and twice denied the Raiders, state champions in 2021, from point-blank range for saves No. 16 and No. 17 of her night.

"That kid is just such a workhorse, such an incredible goalie, incredible teammate, incredible leader," Jackowiak said in a remote interview with the Times-Union following the game.

Adri Ferrara's two goals in rapid succession, the latter directly off a draw control, put Bartram Trail in front to stay at the 17:37 mark — the last score of a game that defenses dominated the rest of the way.

BEARS OVERCOME OFFENSIVE HICCUPS

Like Bartram Trail's previous one-goal state titles in 2016 and 2022, this one was a nail-biter, far closer than the Bears' 17-2 romp against Aquinas on March 4.

Florida-committed junior Ryann Frechette scored three first-half goals for the Bears, raising her season total to 134, but otherwise defenses ruled the Naples turf.

The Bears (19-4) and their Broward County opponents matched each other goal for goal throughout most of a low-scoring battle. Aquinas (11-9) tied the score 3-3 six seconds before halftime, then edged in front shortly after halftime on a Taylor Bank goal before Ferrara's breakthrough.

Bartram Trail's girls sports trophies are piling up fast. Saturday's championship was the third for lacrosse, coming on the heels of FHSAA and national titles in February in girls soccer.

"I'm so proud of this team," Jackowiak said. "They fought so hard all year, and a lot of people underestimated them. They all deserve this moment."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school girls lacrosse 2023: Bartram Trail-St. Thomas Aquinas